Cleaning brush for child&#39;s drinking cup sports bottles long straws adult containers and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a cleaning implement suitable for cleaning a child&#39;s drinking cup, a “sippy cup or a sports bottle having a closable spout.” The cleaning implement may include an elongated shaft or handle, one end of which may be equipped with a cleaning brush. The cleaning brush may be relatively narrow and may be cylindrical or spherical in shape. This configuration enables a user to penetrate narrow apertures with the cleaning brush. The other end of the handle may be equipped with a shaped tip having, at least in part, an abrasive surface enabling a user to scrape stubborn stains, particles or films from hard-to-reach areas.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a cleaning device, and more particularly to a cleaning brush for a child's drinking cup, a bottle with a closeable spout, or to a vessel having a spout requiring cleaning.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] When small children first learn to drink from cups, they have an initial problem with spilling the cup's contents. A first step in this learning process is for a child to learn to handle the vessel without concerning him or herself with spilling. Therefore, cups with spill proof sipper or spouted lids are used to facilitate this early learning process.

[0003] While these spill proof children's drinking cups, often referred to as “sippy cups,” provide many benefits for small children and their caretakers, their unique shape or internal construction may render them difficult to clean. Such sippy cups can include liquid-restricting valves in the form a flexible plastic insert, a semi-rigid insert or a series of flexible discs. Liquid from the cup may adhere to all of these interior surfaces of the cup and the spill-preventing valve structures, and in particular may adhere to the interior of the drinking spout. This problem may be exacerbated when the liquid is particularly viscous or sugary, for example, when the liquid is juice, milk, or a similar beverage. Furthermore, if the cup is not cleaned shortly after it is used, the film of liquid on the above-referenced interior surfaces when it dries to form a crusty or tacky coating. A similar problem can occur with sports bottles having covers containing closeable spouts, straws, or straw-type outlets. These too may become clogged or otherwise require cleaning if liquids other than water are being dispensed.

[0004] Cleaning implements typically used to wash cups and other dishware may be ill-suited to cleaning children's drinking cups or other types of spouts. Sponges and brushes that are suitable for cleaning most dishware are too large and bulky to be inserted into a narrow spout to adequately clean its interior surfaces, or to fit into the flow-controlling valves or the portion of the cups where such valves are housed. Dishwashers may not clean these cups or closure tops thoroughly, as the spray of the water jets may not be directed into the spout, and as the strength of the spray may not be sufficient to remove crusted or sticky material.

[0005] Consequently, there is need for an implement or cleaning device that can be used to clean hard-to-reach surfaces of a child's drinking cup, the insert valve-type flow restrictors, or the spout in a sports liquid bottle, particularly the interior surfaces of the inserted flow-controlling valves and the drinking spout. It is desirable to provide a brush that is able to easily penetrate the opening at the base of the drinking spout.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The invention overcomes these and other problems in the art and relates in one regard to an implement for cleaning a child's drinking cup. In one embodiment, the implement may include an elongated shaft preferably formed of a flexible material. The cylindrical shaft may form a handle that may be used to manipulate the implement. In other embodiments, one end of the cylindrical shaft may be provided with a narrow round or cylindrical brush having bristles, of the same or varying lengths, and even with bristles being position at the distal end. The brush may be used to clean surfaces of a child's drinking cup, internal flow-controlling inserts, valves, straws, spouts on other restricted areas of the flow path. In another embodiment, the proximal end of the cylindrical shaft may taper to form a pointed tip. The pointed tip may have an abrasive surface that may be used to scrape stubborn films or particles from surfaces of a drinking cup or spouts on other bottles or containers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are referenced with like numbers, and in which:

[0008]FIG. 1a illustrates a child's drinking cup with a spouted lid (prior art).

[0009]FIG. 1b illustrates a child's drinking cup with a spouted lid (prior art).

[0010]FIG. 2 illustrates a cleaning implement in accordance with the present invention.

[0011]FIG. 3 is a flow chart depicting a method for manufacturing a cleaning implement in accordance with the present invention.

[0012] (Note the attached “Appendix” showing several examples of infant drinking cups.)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0013]FIG. 1 illustrates a child's drinking cup 100 of a type known in the art. The drinking cup 100 includes a main vessel 102 that may be used to contain a beverage and various types of liquids. Main vessel 102 may be smooth sided or, alternatively equipped with one or more handles such as are illustrated at 104, which may enable a child to better grasp the cup. Typically, handles 104 are relatively small so that an infant or young child may more easily grasp them.

[0014] The drinking cup 100 may also include a removable closure or lid 106, which includes a spouted mouthpiece 108. The lid 106 may be detachable from the main vessel 102 by being pried off from a friction or snap-on seal, or it may have a screw type connection. Lid 106 is typically detached from main vessel 102 in order to fill the main vessel. Once the vessel has been filled, the lid 106 may be reattached. The combined assembly allows a child to drink from the spouted mouthpiece 108 without spilling the beverage. The present invention can also be used with a sports drink bottle that could include a cover or lid with a snap-open spout (not shown) or a straw, and the bottle portion could have a variety of shapes and sizes.

[0015]FIG. 1a shows a typical cover 120 and a flow-controlling valve member 122.

[0016]FIG. 1b shows a bottom view of cover 120 and in particular the recesses 124 and 126 that receive valve portions 128 and 130, respectively. The valve portions 128 and 130 are each generally tubular in form, as are the recesses 124 and 126. The spout portion 132 is positioned at the end of recess 124, and a vent opening is at the end of the recess 126.

[0017] Each of the valve portions includes as end wall, 134 and 136, respectively, at the upper end thereof, and each end wall includes a slit or other closable opening to permit liquids to flow when a child sucks on the spout.

[0018] Each of these recesses, valve portions, spouts and vents will require cleaning, and the cleaning implement 200, shown in FIG. 2, provides a device to clean each of these cap and lid structures.

[0019] Other sippy-type cups are shown in the attached Appendix.

[0020]FIG. 2 illustrates a cleaning implement 200 made in accordance with the present invention. Such a cleaning implement may be used to clean surfaces and other structural parts of the drinking cup 100. In particular, cleaning implement 200 is designed to be small in size but sufficient to clean the interior surfaces of the spouted mouthpiece 108, as well the small handles 104, the surrounding areas, and the internal valve structures.

[0021] The cleaning implement 200 may include a shaft 202. The shaft will act as a handle and be used to manipulate one or the other ends the implement. In one embodiment, the shaft 202 may be made of a flexible material, for example, a flexible plastic, rubber, or another flexible material including metal. Since the degree of flexibility is a relative thing, shaft 202 needs to be stiff enough to transmit sufficient force for cleaning yet be bendable to be maneuverable into tight places to provide proper cleaning. This flexibility may facilitate cleaning hard-to-reach surfaces, including the recesses 124, 126, valve portions 128, 130, or a straw in a sports bottle. In other embodiments, however, the shaft 202 may be more rigid. The shaft 202 may be made of wood, wire, rubber, plastic, or any other appropriate material. In either case, the shaft 202 may be cylindrical in cross-section, or may exhibit another cross-sectional shapes including that of a triangle, hexagon or octagon. The shaft 202 may also be formed into an ergonomically shaped handle that renders the implement easier to grasp. Additionally, the shaft can be formed from a combination of materials including plastic and foam, various moldable mediums. Further, the shaft could have an enlarged gripping section, as shown in phantom at 206 at one or more positions along the shaft. Such enlarged area 206 could also be soft or formed of a gel type material.

[0022] The shaft will typically be long enough so that an adult hand may easily grasp it, but not so long as to become unwieldy. A shaft length of approximately 6 inches may be suitable. However, other shaft lengths between 4 and 10 inches are possible.

[0023] The shaft will typically also be of a diameter that renders it easy to grasp and manipulate. A shaft diameter of approximately {fraction (3/8)} inch is preferred, but other shaft diameters, both larger and smaller are possible.

[0024] In another embodiment, one end of the shaft 202 may be provided with a bristle brush 204 integrally formed or molded in place. If the shaft were twisted wire the bristles can be wound into position at the end of the shaft 202. The brush 204 may be used to clean surfaces of a drinking cup or other object. Brush 204 may have a narrow elongated shape, or it maybe round or cylindrical in form. This shape may enable the brush 204 to be used to clean the interior surfaces of the spouted mouthpiece 108. The bristles 208 forming the brush 204 may be made of nylon, plastic, steel, or any other suitable bristle material. The bristles 208 forming the brush 204 may be of the same lengths, of varying lengths; or combinations thereof. Bristles can extend from the end surface of shaft 202 as well as outwardly along part of the length of shaft 202. Also, bristles can extend at various angles. This bristle orientation will allow a user to efficiently clean various surfaces with differing contours.

[0025] Brush 204 may also be formed separately from the shaft 202 and subsequently affixed to the shaft 202. In other embodiments, the bristles of the brush may be formed integrally with the molding or forming of the shaft 202. Alternatively, bristles may be attached by a variety of approaches, for example, by inserting and adhering the bristles into holes in the shaft 202, by affixing the bristles to the exterior surface of the shaft 202, or by stitching the bristles directly onto the shaft.

[0026] The other end of the shaft 202 may be formed with a shaped tip, one example being a tapered tip 206. However, other shapes could be used including bulbed, angled, squired or even as a sharp edge. The shaped tip 206 may be used to clean narrow apertures, other relatively inaccessible portions of the cup, or areas where more force or effort is required. The shaped tip 206 may have an abrasive exterior surface on all or a portion thereof that may be used to scrape stubborn films or particles from surfaces of the drinking cup.

[0027] The abrasive surface on the shaped tip 206 may be a synthetic abrasive scrubbing material such as coiled, spiraled or tufted nylon, which may be permanently secured in place by adhesive or alternatively abrasive particles formed from nylon, other synthetic materials, stone or other natural abrasive materials could be molded in place. For example, abrasive particles such as silicon carbide or aluminum oxide particles may be secured to the pointed tip 206 by a suitable adhesive to form the abrasive surface or they could also be integrally attached during molding by having been previously placed in the mold. If the cleaning implement will primarily be used to clean a child's drinking cup, smaller particles may be preferable, since larger particles may scratch the surface of the cup, creating sharp surfaces that may harm a child. If the cleaning implement is to be used for other applications, however, larger particles may be preferable.

[0028] As an alternative embodiment, the shaped tip itself may be separately formed of an abrasive material, and subsequently secured to the shaft 202. In still other embodiments, the pointed tip may be formed of the same material as the shaft 202, but may be sanded or otherwise altered to render its surface suitably abrasive. Additionally, the pointed tip may be formed with contours that render its surface relatively abrasive; for example, the pointed tip may be formed by injection molding to have an irregular or contoured surface. The molding of the shaft will use standard molding techniques well known to those skilled in the art and further description of the mold, the temperatures, cure time and mold construction are not believed to be required.

[0029]FIG. 3 is a flow chart depicting the separate steps manufacturing a cleaning implement in accordance with the present invention. The process may begin with step 300, wherein the shaft is formed. If the shaft is made of plastic, the shaft may be formed, for example, by injection molding, extrusion or by some other suitable molding process. Other methods of forming the shaft, using other materials, will occur to those skilled in the art.

[0030] The process may continue in step 302, wherein the shaped tip may be formed. If the pointed tip incorporates the same material as the shaft, the tip may be formed simultaneously with the shaft; steps 300 and 302 may therefore, in some embodiments, be combined into a single step. The method of forming the shaped tip may vary based on the substrate used to create the tip. For example, if the shaped tip is made of flexible or rigid plastic, the pointed tip may be formed through injection molding or through another suitable process. If the pointed tip is formed of wood or of a relatively soft abrasive material such as pumice, the pointed tip may be carved or machined in a separate forming step 302 apart from shaft formation. Other methods of forming the shaped tips, and other materials suitable for the tips, will occur to those skilled in the art.

[0031] The method may continue in step 304, wherein an abrasive surface may be formed on the shaped tip. If the tip is made of a material that is already abrasive, steps 302 and 304 may be combined into a single step. Whereas abrasive particles such as silicon carbide or aluminum oxide particles are to be integrally molded in place, the interior of the mold can be coated or otherwise supplied with abrasive particles so that during molding the plastic material will flow through the particles with some of them extending out of the formed surfaces. The tip may also be sanded or otherwise altered to render its surface more abrasive.

[0032] Where the shaped tip is separately formed, the method may continue in step 306, wherein the tip is secured to the shaft, for example, using an adhesive, heat bonding, or other bonding technique.

[0033] Where the bristles are integrally formed during molding, the brush will be formed together with the shaft. However, the method may continue with step 308, wherein the brush is subsequently formed on the shaft. As noted above, the bristles may be formed of nylon, plastic, metal, or of another suitable material. The bristles may have varying lengths, or may all be of the same length. Preferably, the bristles used to form the brush are long enough to be useful for cleaning, but short enough that the brush may be used to clean relatively inaccessible surfaces. A range for bristle lengths of approximately {fraction (1/8)} inch to about {fraction (1/2)} inch is preferred.

[0034] When the brush is formed on the shaft following shaft formation, the brush securing of the bristles to the shaft may be accomplished by having the bristles inserted into pre-formed holes in the shaft, or simply by securing them to the exterior of the shaft by adhesive. The bristles may also be secured to the shaft, for example, by stapling, stitching, or by some combination of these techniques.

[0035] The brush may also be formed separately from the shaft, for example, by stapling, stitching, or gluing the bristles to each other or to some other substrate. Then, as in step 310, the brush would be attached to the shaft. It would also be possible to prepare a base fabric containing bristles with the fabric then being adhered in place in the form of a cap over the end of the shaft.

[0036] The foregoing description of the system and method for a cleaning brush for a drinking or sports cup according to the invention is illustrative, and variations in configuration and implementation will occur to persons skilled in the art. For instance, while the invention has generally been described as containing a cleaning implement for dishware, the invention could be used to clean a variety of household surfaces such as bathroom or kitchen tiles, or could be used to clean any item with small dimensions or with relatively inaccessible surfaces. Furthermore, various materials suitable for forming the implement have been disclosed; however, other suitable materials will occur to those skilled in the art. Similarly, while various methods for forming the implement have been disclosed, other manufacturing methods will occur to those skilled in the art.

[0037] The scope of the invention is accordingly intended to be limited only by the following claims. 

I claim:
 1. A device for cleaning surfaces of an object, comprising: an elongated shaft having first and second ends; a cleaning brush provided at the first end; and a shaped abrasive tip located substantially at the second end
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the elongated shaft comprises a plastic.
 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the plastic is a rigid plastic.
 4. A device according to claim 2, wherein the plastic is a flexible plastic.
 5. A device according to claim 2, wherein the elongated shaft is formed by injection molding.
 6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the elongated shaft comprises rubber.
 7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the elongated shaft is cylindrical in its cross-sectional shape.
 8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the elongated shaft is ergonomically shaped.
 9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning brush comprises a plurality of bristles affixed about an outer circumference of said shaft.
 10. A device according to claim 9, wherein at least one bristle in the plurality of bristles comprises a plastic.
 11. A device according to claim 9, wherein at least one bristle in the plurality of bristles comprises nylon.
 12. A device according to claim 9, wherein at least one bristle in the plurality of bristles comprises steel.
 13. A device according to claim 9, wherein at least one bristle in the plurality of bristles is affixed directly to the elongated shaft.
 14. A device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning brush is affixed to the first.
 15. A device according to claim 1, wherein the shaped tip is formed integrally with the elongated shaft.
 16. A device according to claim 1, wherein the shaped tip is affixed to the second end.
 17. A device according to claim 1, wherein only a portion of the shaped tip has an abrasive surface.
 18. A device according to claim 17, wherein the abrasive surface comprises a nylon material.
 19. A device according to claim 17, wherein the abrasive surface comprises a plurality of abrasive particles affixed to the shaped tip.
 20. A device according to claim 19, wherein the abrasive particles comprise silicon carbide.
 21. A device according to claim 19, wherein the abrasive particles comprise aluminum oxide.
 22. A device according to claim 17, wherein the abrasive surface is formed by scarifying the surface of the shaped tip.
 23. A device according to claim 17, wherein the abrasive surface is formed integrally with the formation of the shaped tip.
 24. A method for manufacturing a cleaning implement, the method comprising the steps of: forming an elongated shaft first and second ends; forming a shaped tip at one end; and forming a cleaning brush at the other end.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the elongated shaft is formed by injection molding.
 26. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of forming an abrasive surface on the pointed tip.
 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the abrasive surface is formed by affixing at least one of the materials of coiled, spiraled or tufted nylon to the pointed tip.
 28. The method of claim 26, wherein the abrasive surface is formed by affixing a plurality of abrasive particles to the pointed tip.
 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the plurality of abrasive particles comprises at least one silicon carbide particle.
 30. The method of claim 28, wherein the plurality of abrasive particles comprises at least one aluminum oxide particle.
 31. The method of claim 26, wherein the abrasive surface is formed by scarifying the pointed tip.
 32. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of forming the abrasive surface is performed integrally with the step of forming the abrasive tip.
 33. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of forming the pointed tip is performed integrally with the step of forming the elongated shaft.
 34. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of securing the pointed tip to the second end of the elongated shaft.
 35. The method of claim 34, wherein an adhesive is used to secure the pointed tip to the second end of the elongated shaft.
 36. The method of claim 24, wherein the cleaning brush is formed by affixing a plurality of bristles to the elongated shaft.
 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the cleaning brush is formed by inserting a plurality of bristles into one or more holes in the elongated shaft.
 38. The method of claim 36, wherein the cleaning brush is formed by affixing a plurality of bristles to the exterior of the elongated shaft.
 39. The method of claim 24, wherein the cleaning brush is formed by affixing a plurality of bristles to a brush core substrate.
 40. The method of claim 39, further comprising the step of affixing the brush core substrate to the first end of the elongated shaft.
 41. The method of claim 40, wherein an adhesive is used to affix the brush core substrate to the first end of the elongated shaft.
 42. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of affixing the cleaning brush to the first end of the elongated shaft.
 43. The method of claim 42, wherein an adhesive is used to affix the cleaning brush to the first end of the elongated shaft. 